unity of country clergymen living in the town; a
dozen, or more, villages in the neighbourhood having no official
residence in their parishes; thus a Clerical Club became a convenient
institution for social intercourse, and valuable papers were often read
at their meetings. This ceased to exist at the close of the 19th
century, when the books were transferred to the Diocesan Library at
Lincoln. In order to enable these country incumbents to maintain a town
residence, they, in several cases, held a plurality of benefices, which
would hardly be allowed in the present day. Even the Vicar of
Horncastle, Dr. Madely, also held the Vicarage of Stickford, distant more
than a dozen miles; another clergyman was Rector of Martin, Vicar of
Baumber, and Rector of Sotby, several miles apart; while a third held the
Perpetual Curacy of Wood Enderby, 4 or 5 miles to the south-east of the
town, with the Curacy of Wilksby adjoining, and the Chapelry of
Kirkstead, 5 or 6 miles to the west. Further, to eke out the family
income, his daughter found employment of a somewhat novel kind in the
service of the late Queen Victoria. Being in figure the exact size of
the Queen, her Majesty's dresses were all tried on this lady by the royal
dressmaker; and, as a portion of her remuneration, the cast-off clothing
of the Queen became her perquisite. On the occasion of the wedding of
one of her friends at Horncastle, the bride and her bridesmaids were all
attired in Queen's dresses.

In connection with the church is the "Young Churchmen's Union," of which
the Vicar is President. They have fortnightly meetings, in the Boys'
National School, at 8.15 p.m. There is also a Church Lads' Brigade, No.
1951, attached to the 1st Battalion, Lincoln Regiment, B 51. This was
enrolled Oct. 1st, 1901. The members are youths between the ages of 13
and 19; the present Lieutenant being H. W. Sharpe; Chaplain, the Vicar;
Assistant Chaplain and Correspondent, the Senior Curate. Entrance fee
1/6, subscription 1d. per week.

The Church National Schools are good substantial buildings, erected at
various periods, the Girls' School in 1812, the Infants' in 1860, and the
Boys' (at a cost of 1,000 pounds) in 1872; the total accommodation is for
300 children, the average attendance being about 250. The schools were
taken over by the Lindsey County Council, on April 1st, 1903.

CHAPTER V.
NONCONFORMIST PLACES OF WORSHIP.

There are in Horncastle five Nonconf